Bishop Reacts to Local Priest's Arrest, by Stacy Daniel, KSBY, July 22, 2007

Bishop Reacts to Local Priest's Arrest

By Stacy Daniel
KSBY
July 22, 2007

http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?S=6823680

San Miguel — A high ranking church official addresses the issue of one of their own being arrested during a sting operation.

Here are the facts first:

• The undercover operation netted three men for allegedly committing sexual offenses at a local nude beach.

• It was conducted by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department.

• One of the men arrested was an associate pastor at a Catholic church in Nipomo.

• He has since been placed on administrative leave.

Spirits are high at Sunday's mass at Mission San Miguel despite a scandal brewing within the Central Coast's Catholic community.

The arrest of associate pastor, Geronimo Cuevas, for suspicion of soliciting a lewd act and sexual battery, is felt from his church in Nipomo all the way to Mission San Miguel.

Bishop Garcia says "I really hope and pray that others will not be turned off by this or turn away from God."

Bishop Richard Garcia is with the Diocese of Monterey, the organization that oversees Catholic churches on the Central Coast.

He was one of the first people notified about Cuevas' arrest:

" I placed him immediately on administrative leave which basically means taking away all his faculties as a priest and we are looking for a place were he can live during this time while the investigation is taking place."

Sheriff's deputies continue their investigation into what Cuevas and the other men who were arrested, were doing at Pirates Cove.

In the meantime, the Diocese plans on helping the former associate pastor in anyway it can.

Bishop Garcia explains: "Well, we are all human, you know, everyone of us makes mistakes in life and we have to turn to God to help us not make mistakes. I believe he needs some help and we're certainly going to offer that."

Some members of the Catholic hurch are concerned the actions of one man have cast a shadow on the faith.

One member says "I don't think it's just specifically the Catholic church. There's all kinds of people in different beliefs in life that are doing things things that are not right."

As members of the Catholic community try to move past this latest scandal the future of a man who was once held in high regard remains uncertain.

Cuevas is expected to face a judge regarding the charges against him in August.